Control valve, such as for refrigerating systems



Dch 14, 1952 w. G. NOLCKEN CONTROL. VALVE, SUCH AS FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1949 m NM ma Y P W Mn 4 Oct 14, 1952 w. G. NOLCKEN 2,613,505

CONTROL VALVE, SUCH AS FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Filed May 26, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GZ.

mwnfbr WOLDEMAR GEORGE NOLCKEN Oct. 14, 1952 w, NOLCKEN 2,613,505

CONTROL VALVE, SUCH AS FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Filed May 26, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 //n 'en75r I WOLDEMAR GEORGE NOLCKEN when. Q. W

flf/arney I Patented Oct. 14, 1952 PATENT OFFICE- was;

Consecutive, sUcH As FOR: REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS George No lcken; fleading tom okfordy England, assig nor to Pressed Steel Company Limited,'0xford, England, a British company Application Mai 16, 1949,]seria1 No. 95,497 In Great Britain February 25, 1949 of physical conditionsjisuchas temperature, pres 5 sure, composition of the'fluids and the like.

The invention is applicable for example,- to tlielcontrol of heating systems,-refrigerating systems, distillation systems arid" humidity control systems. 4 1 0 l The" prefer-red application" of the-,invention is t6 refrigerating systems and particularly sys-. terns of the secondary condenser evaporator type, sucli'as'is" disclosed inthe inventors co-- Downwardly Evaporatin'g .Secondary' Circuit, Serial No. 79,481, filed March 3, 1949.- l Secondary. systems are well-known andmuch used, and means M for automatically controlling 0 theirloperation. are well-known, w More particularly, in domestic cabinets of the multiple-temperature type,. it is usual to. refrigeratefi. the main. foo'dl stora'ge compartment by meansof a secondarycevaporatorhsecured -to the metallioliner of said compartment, -while the secondary condenser is in contact withlan primary.v source officoldLwhich also refrigerate'sthe low temperature. compartment -of the cabinet. t

In this way some of the .cold generated in a primary evaporator at a-llowltemperature level.

isljusedlto, cool asecond storage space at a higher, temperature level andh-in, order. to control :and keeiiconstant. the temperature. in said second, storage". space against a. variable heat. load, it

isllcustomary, to insert controlling means in the! secondary..,system. .t v

.Such means mayi be resp'onsiveto the pressure inlthe. secondarysystem where. the control. issaid tolbe .off the. constant. pressure type on alternatively, responsive to .the temperature inthefood 40 storage compartment where it is said to be-oi the thrmostaticltype. Essentially they consist of an'elastic pressure responsive element such-m a flexible diaphragm orSylphon;bellowslwhiol iz 4 pipe the vapour 1 t pipe ofthe secondary" cohdr'i's'eflso disposed hatjthe necessary amount of? dissent-ate is' reieaseaxmw the" secondary? r'i: t & l

11 llai m s. (011 62-2) 4 2 H in operation liable to stick or lealg and thereby to cause a breakdown of the control. r

In order to overcome drawbacks of this kind there is vprovided in accordance with the invention ,,"a control valve'or metering device actuated by hydraulic means operated by known-temperature orpressurecontrol means. a

Both; constant pressure type and thermostatic typeyalves operate with the hydraulic means according' to theinventionjbut it must be understood; that the invention is not limited to these two types of valves;

H The invention will now be described ii;- detail,

r I W 7 reference being had to the accompanying drawpending" application Refrigerating System With 15 l ings, of which: I Figure 1, illustratingthe preferred form ofthe invention, is a perspective view,--with parts broken ;away','of a domestic refrigeratorj Y Figure 2 shows, somewhat diagrammatically and -to -a greatly enlarged 7 scale; a control valve actuated by a constant pressure type power elenent; t ,l t l Figure -3 shows -acontrolvalve actuated thermostatic type power element; 7

. .-Eig:ure i shows a modification of the control by a valve o-fll 'igure l v I Figures 5 and---6---illustrate diagrammatically the application of-the inventionto a steam heating system and'the control sialve' therefor which, in this'casejis =inverted,as compared with the arrangement of Figure'lg -and A i a -.Figures--7 and 8 illustrate diagrammatically a vapourrectification system and the valve therefor-respectively} c 1 l w In Figure 1 is shown .a-domestic-refrigerator comprising ltherouter casing!!! and inner liner: 5| (defining the food storage space) ,tseparatedby thel=insulationt-52n This erefrigeratortis: of the vapour compression type co-acting with..-a .sec-- ondary vcondensereevaporator: type. A: hermetically sealed motor-compressor unit 53 is mount-- edtatthe bottom of theecabinet' andxcompressed refrigerant vapour.itherefrom= -passes to the prim mary condenser 54:. in the. form ofcavserpentine 5 coil. secured toi the'back of the cabinet, whencev the condensed liquid :reirigerant passeslthrough. the capillary tubel5l disposed in hea-tr'exchange relationship a with the vapour return I pipe. 58 Thecapillary tube is coiled-at 62zbefore connec 0 tion to;theprimarysevaporator 55, showlmas QOIlr-x sistinglof thencoilzlfl zdisposed intserpentine forml and terminating inathelpassages. l I, ot-the tevapoe; rator box 56.; Arranged..-inheat-exchange irelati onship with the primary. -revaporator coil JIM-s the secondary condenser coil 60 having the vapour inlet pipe I! and the liquid outlet pipe I8 thereto terminating in the control valve I I, as will hereinafter appear. The secondary evaporator 6i, with the vapour inlet pipe I and liquid outlet pipe I6 thereto similarly terminating in the control valve II, is arranged as a continuous coil surrounding the liner 5|. The vapour return pipe i5 is arranged to be straight and vertical and is connected with the coil 6i through the horizontal vessel 62, which is also in heat-exchange relationship with the liner 5I. This vessel is large enough to act as a liquid/vapour separator and any liquid which passes unevaporated through the secondary evaporator coil BI will remain in the vessel 62, there to be evaporated, while the vapour passes directly to the pipe I5 and so through the control valve II back to the condenser 60.

The whole secondary system is hermetically sealed after having been evacuated of air and charged through the pipe 64 with a predetermined quantity or condensible vapour to act as secondary refrigerant.

One form of the control valve II of Figure 1 is shown in detail in Figure 2, in which the valve II consists of a cylindrical container I2 closed by end plates I3 and I4. The vapour and liquid pipes l5 and I6 respectively connect with the secondary evaporator BI of Figure l and are in open gas communication within the housing.

The point at which pipe I5 enters the valve housing must be at a higher level than the point of entry of the pipe I6. The arrows a show the circulation of the refrigerant through the valve from the secondary evaporator.

The pipes I! and I8 from the secondary condenser 60 of Figure 1 pass through the end plate I I of the valve housing and depend thereinto to a predetermined depth, the pipe I! being the shorter of the two and through it vapour enters the secondary condenser, whereas liquid condensate flows into the valve via the pipe I8, as indicated bythe arrows b and as will be explained later.

Acylindrical vessel I9 in the shape of a cup open at the top and closed at the bottom, as at 20, and formed with the series of holes 2| all arranged at the same horizontal level, ordinarily substantially level, with the outlet of pipe I1, rests upon and issupported by, the spring 22 which, in turn, is supported by the screw cap 23 screwed into the end plate [3 and having the bore 24 terminating in a slot 3| to receive, e. g. a screw-driver for adjustment, the whole being enclosed by the cover nut 32. The cup I9 is prevented from tilting in the housing by the circumferentially distributed dimples 29.. The pipes I1 and I8 project into the vessel I9 to a predetermined depth.

A flexible bellows 26 is soldered to the end plate I3 and to the bottom 20 of the vessel It forming a gas-tight partition between the space inside the valve body II, which is in open gas communication with the four pipes I5, I6, I! and I8, and the space encompassedby the bellows 28, and the end plate I3 and the bottom wall 20, which space is in open gas communication with atmosphere via the breather hole 24 drilled through the screw plug 23. If the cover nut 32 is tightly fitted, it is more correct to say that the arrangement operates with a volume of air originally trapped at atmospheric pressure.

The bellows 26 can contract and expand between the limits provided on the one side by the engagement ofthe bottom wall 20 with the 4 upper surface of a cylinder 25, fixed in the end plate I3 and on the other side by the engagement of the open top of the vessel IS with the end plate I4.

The depth to which pipe I8 projects into the vessel I9 is not such as to interfere at any time with the free movement of the bellows 26 by colliding with the bottom wall 20 before the top of the vessel I9 has come into contact with the cover plate I4.

The operation is as follows:

The secondary condenser 60, being in contact with the primary source of cold, the primary evaporator I0, is the coldest part of the system, wherefore liquid accumulates therein by condensation of vapour coming from other parts of the system. The vapour enters by way of the open pipe I! and liquid descends by gravity in pipe I8, the whole of the secondary condenser operating in th manner of a syphon. In this way the vessel I9 is, filled with liquid which ultimately overflows into the housing II and drains away through pipe I6.

In Figure 2 this overflow of liquid from the vessel I9 takes place through the holes 2I, whereas in Figure 8 the liquid flows over the edge of the corresponding vessel 4I9. It will be understood that this difference is quite immaterial to the operation of the valve.

The overflowing liquid descends by gravity into the secondary evaporator BI wherein it vaporises and th vapour, together with such liquid as has not been vaporised, enters the vessel 62 in which the liquid remains while the vapour passes through pipe I5 back into the valve II and hence, by way of pipe I'l, into the secondary condenser 60.

In this way heat is transferred from evaporator BI and vessel 62 to the condenser in the wellknown manner of secondary condenser-evaporator systems.

The pressure throughout the system is the same, except for minor differences due to the hydraulic heads of liquid columns in various -ary pressure remains constant the vessel parts of the system, which small differences can be ignored.

This pressure also prevails inside the body of the valve I I, above the bellows 26, whereas below the bellows the pressure is atmospheric. The

- loading of the spring 22 (see Figure 2) may be set by means of the screw 23 so that the secondary pressure tending to compress the bellowsr is just balanced by the spring and atmosphere tending to expand them. As long as the second- I9, which is supported by the spring 22 and bellows 26, does not move. Progressively, however, due to the general reduction in temperature resulting from the secondary system operation, the pressure falls and, therefore, the vessel I9 rises. When it has risen to the point where the meniscus of liquid in it makes contact with the outlet at pipe II, no more vapour can enter through this pipe and the syphon action through condenser 60 is interrupted. The condenser 60 now completely fills up with liquid and all circulation stops. No liquid is added to that contained in the vessel I9 and none overflows and descends through evaporator 6|, Refrigeration by means of the secondary circulation being'suspende'd, the temperature of the evaporative parts of the system begins to rise. Residual liquid trapped in the vessel 62 evaporates causing the pressure throughout the system to rise, resulting in compression of the bellows 26 and a lowering of the vessel '10 to :a lower level until the liquid contact between-the pipe I1 and the liquid surface in the vessel 19 is broken, whereupon the syphon action "through the condenser 60 is restored. 3

It will be understood that since the variable secondary pressure in the valve II is opposed by a constant atmospheric pressure assisted by a constant spring load, there is within the working range of the bellows a strict correspondence between thesecondary pressure and the position of the vessel I9; high secondary pressures corresponding to low positions of said vessel and vice-versa. 'It'also will be understood that since the liquid level in the vessel I9 cannot rise above or fall below the level of the overflow holes 2I (Figure 2), the valve as a whole must operate in the manner of constant pressure valves, i. e. the secondary pressure is kept constant within close Llim'itsa't all times and at a figure predetermined by the position of the screw-plug 23 which adjusts the tension of the spring 22.

It should be understood that the control valve I-I, although particularly adaptable for use with a system such as that described in the inventors 'co-pending application No. 79,481, Refrigerating Systems, filed March 3, 1949, would operate equally well with any other of the known types "of secondary condenser-evaporator systems.

The'charge of secondary refrigerant must be sufficient to leave some liquid over in the'evaporator'side after the condenser has been com- :pletely filled with liquid when the valve closes,

and nots'olarge as to obstruct the free passage of vapour through the vessel 62 and into pipe I5. Within these limits the charge may vary widely, without affecting the operation.

Referring now to Figure 3, this shows in section the same type of valve mechanism comprising a'hydraulic'lock for the condenser syphon, but adapted for thermostatic control as opposed to constant pressure control, as in Figures 1 and *2.

The valve housing III is in the form of a cylindrical container 1 I2 enclosed by end plates I I3 and H4.

The pipes H5, 1 I6and II1, IIBcorrespond with the pipes I5, I6 and I1, I of Figure? but in this "casethe secondary condenser pipes H1 and H8 pass through'the walls of the cylindrical container II2, the pipe ll1being the shorter of the two .and through it vapour enters thecondenser, while liquid returns through pipe H8.

A cylindrical vessel Il9, open at the top, is formed with two wide'axial slots I00 extending approximately from the lower level of the pipe I. I1" to the top of the cylinder H2 and through which, pass the pipes H1 and H8.

'I'heendplate-I20, asbefore, rests upon, and is supporte'd by, the spring I22 which, in turn,

is-supported by the screw-plug I23 formed with a breathinghole' I24 and slot I3 I whilst a flexible bellows I20 is soldered'to the bottom wall I20 of" the vessel II9 and'the end plate 3 forming afgas-tight partition between the spaceinside the valve body I I I which is at secondary evaporation pressure and the space encompassed by the bellows I26, the end plate 3 and the bottom wall I20, which is ,at atmospheric pressure. As before, the plug.I23 is fitted with a cover nut I32.

"Theessential difference from the arrangement of Figure 2 is the provision of the additional bellows I21 (of the same size and diameter as the bellowsv I26) which is soldered to the plate 'I2I vnormally"resting on the vessel H9 and the end plate III encompassing a gas-tight space the phial into the bellows chamber.

6 which is .in open gas communication with a thermostatic bulb I30 through the capillary tube I28 which passes through the end plate H4.

The pair of bellows I26 and I21 are free to contract and expand between the limits imposed by the two stops provided respectively by the cylinder I25, against which the bottom wall I20 abuts, and the cylinder I29, against which the plate I2I abuts.

The thermostatic bulb or phial I30 connected to the capillary pipe I28 is located inside the food-storage chamber in a-position to represent the temperature in that chamber. In known manner, this phial is charged with a volatile fluid, the vapour pressure of which is a measure of its temperature. This phial, together with the tube I28 and the chamber encompassedby the bellows I21, the end plate Ill and the plate I2I, forms a self-contained hermetically sealed thermostatic power element, as is well-known and much used.

The element should be liquid charged (as opposed to gas charging) to prevent breakdown due to the charge having distilled over from Liquid charging means that the quantity of the condensible fluid is such that the whole chargeis liquid with the exception of a small vapour volume; gas charging, on the other hand, 'means that the quantity of the condensible fluid .is such that the whole charge is in a vapour state above a certain temperature, with. liquid beginning to form below that temperature. Alternatively, a dry absorbent or adsorbent medium may be" used in the phial. For example, the phial could be charged with adsorbent charcoal powder and the gas space with CO2 gas, as is well known.

The operation of the thermostatic valve shown in Figure 3 is essentially the same as that of the valve shown in Figure 2, but the valve responds to changes in temperature of the thermostatic phial instead of changes in secondary pressure.

The secondary pressure acts upon the two equal areas of bellows I26 and I21 arranged in opposition, the two effects cancelling out so that no movement of the vessel II9 takes place in response to changes in secondary pressure.

The pressure within the bellows I21 corresponds to the temperature of the phial, and this pressure is opposed by the constant pressure of the atmosphere in the bellows I26, together with the pressure of the spring I22, pre-set to a predetermined value by means of the screw-plug I23.

Accordingly, the position of the vessel II9 within the housing III and with reference to the pipes'II1 and H8 corresponds to the temperature of the thermostatic phial and, in fact, is a measure of this temperature, high temperature corresponding, to low positions of the vessel H9 and vice versa.

The liquid level in the vessel H9 is kept constant at the lower level of the slots I80, which act as overflow weirs in the same way as do the holes 2| of Figure 2. The opening of pipe H1 is, closed and syphoning through the condenser stops at a predetermined phial temperature at which the liquid level in the vessel II9 blanks off the opening of pipe I I1.

The valve of Figure 3, has been described as providing thermostatic control, with the bellows I26 and I21 of the same size and diameter, but it should be understood that if the effective area of the bellows I21 be reduced, as compared with 7 the bellows I26, then the valve could be made to function as a pressure control, in substantially the same way as the valve of Figure 2, but avoiding the inevitable slight variations of cabinet temperature which take place, with that valve, in

response to large variations in ambient temperature. This is achieved by disposing the phial I30 in a position to be responsive to the ambient temperature, i. e. adjacent the external wall of the cabinet, whereby these variations are compensated for in a well-known manner, and the cabinet temperature remains constant for all ambient temperatures.

Figure 4 is a modification of one part of the valve. It may be observed that in valves according to Figure 2 vibration or shaking is liable temporarily to interfere with accurate control of the secondary pressure, Thus, for example, slamming of the door of a domestic cabinet controlled by this valve would shake out'some of the liquid contained in the sealing vessel 19, spilling it into the housing I l and hence into the evaporator pipe it. The liquid lost from the vessel l9 would be replaced from the condenser causing an extra amount of refrigeration to be done in the system when not required. This drawback equally applies to the valve arrangement according to Figure 3.

In order to overcome, as much as possible, the undesirable effects of shaking, it is essential that the liquid capacity of the vessel l9 should be small, so as to keep the amount split over within negligible limits.

Figure 4 illustrates the sealing vessel i8 of Figure 2 modified to meet this condition. The pipes H and i8 correspond with those of Figure 2, but in this case, the vessel i9 is replaced by a U-shaped tube 2 [9 with limbs of unequal length. The U-tube 2l9 is secured, as at 2'2I, to the bellows cover 229 which rests on the spring 222 and is attached to the bellows 226 in a manner similar to the arrangement of Figure 2, all other parts of the valve being as in Figure 2. The -U-tube 2l9 fits loosely over the two pipes I7 and ligand is free to move up and down along them in response to secondary pressure variations. The liquid level in both limbs is equal and is-at the height of the edge of the shorter limb, whence it overflows into the valve housing, as indicated by the line ac-an in Figure 4.

It will be understood that, whereas-the U-tube 2 l9 controls the secondary condenser in precisely the same way as does the vessel is in Figure 2, the amount of liquid which can be shaken out of it is very small and consists of the liquid contained in the upper portion of the short limb, i. e.

,within the annular space formed by. pipe it inside the somewhat wider limb of the tube 1H9.

The same modification is applicable to valves according to Figure 3, as will-be readily understood.

In Figure 5 is illustrated diagrammatically the application of the invention to a steam heating system, wherein a plurality of radiators, such as 30, are coupled between a steam manifold 35 and a return water manifold 32.

The control valve 3! I is connected between the manifolds 3i and 32 inverted with respect to the arrangement of Figure 3, as shown clearly in Figure 6.

The steam inlet pipe 3|! and water outlet pipe 3l8 to and from the radiator 30, project into the cup 319 floating within the valve 3| I, whilst the steam inlet pipe M5 and water outlet pipe 315 come into the valve housing at upper and lower levels respectively. The lower. cover plate 32! of. the cup 3I9 issupported by the bellows 321, the movement of, the bellows being limited by the stop member, 329, whilst the capillary tube 328.connects with a thermostatic phial 330 disposed suitably within the space to be heated. The plate 320 rests uponthe vessel 3!!! and is secured to the bellows 32B assisted by the spring 322 and adjustable: by the screwed plug 323 formed with a breather hole 324, and enclosed by the cover nut 332.

The action is as follows:

Normally the radiator 30 will be full of water, whilst the thermostatic pressure is high, the inlet 3l'! being sealed. When, however, the temperature falls, the thermostatic pressure similarly falls and the cup 3I9 will descend and break the seal. A gas lift circulation then takes place through the vertical stand pipe 33 extending from the inlet pipe 3H, (and terminating in the'usual air vent valve 34) around the coils of the radiator and back to the valve housing via the pipe 3H1. The-water circulates at a speed and temperature depending upon the amount of steam condensed in the radiator, which, in turn, is dependent on the position of the cup in the housing and this, in turn, is dependent on the temperature of the phial 330, and thus a constant temperature is maintained, whichtemperature is adjustable as desired by adjustment of the plug 323.

It is known to de-aerate refrigerants or condensible vapours by means of a branch circuit, in which vapour condensation takes place on the surface of a very small evaporator kept at a very low temperature by independent means. Such vessels act as collectors for air or other noncondensible gases and means for keeping the noncondensible ases trapped in the collector vessel are known, as well as means for automatically venting to waste the trapped gases whenever a sufiicient amount has accumulated.

In arrangements of this type, condensation in the rectifier vessel goes on all the time, regardless of whether there are any inert gases -to-be separated or not, and accordingly the heat load to the refrigerating plant which supplies the cold for the rectifier is constantly high. i

In the arrangement, according to the invention as shown in Figures land 8, the rectifier vessel 48 is normally filled with a stagnant body of liquid refrigerant and the heat load to the refrigerator is low, since no condensation takes place. When, however, the refrigerant in the main container 4! is contaminated with noncondensible gases, these cause the control valve all to open, admitting into the rectifier vessel 43 a mixture of vapour andnon-condensible gases, which in knownmanner, is rectified. The liquid condensate returns to the main container, via the pipe M8, and the 'non-condensible gases accumulate in the rectifier and are automatically released to Waste 42 through a float valve, indicated at 43, inknown manner. When all the non-condensible gases (up to a predetermined concentration) have been removed from the main refrigerant storage chamber, the contrbl valve closes again preventing further condensation from taking place in the rectifier ,v'essel.

The valve 4! I comprises the flexible bellows 428 connected to a container 420. forming a hermetically tight system, charged with the samelfiuid as in the main storage vessel 4|, through'the hole 431 in the adjusting screw 423' and sealed off by a plug 43 land'enclosed by the cap 432. The liquid level inside the bellows element is ap- 9: proximately along the line :c-an. The bellows is. surmounted by the cup 4 IS with the two. pipes 4H and MB of unequal length projecting into it. In-order to reduce heat conduction between bellows housing and the cup, a space between them, as indicated at 421, is provided. The exact height of the bellows and cup within the valve housing 4| 2 is adjusted by'means of the screwed plug 423.

The container 420 beneath the bellows is preferably covered on the outside with material 433 of high capillarity such as a lampwick. The liquid level in the valve housing M2 is also kept at the level 2-2 by the liquid return pipe 4! 6 to the main storage vessel 4|, keeping the lampwick wetted at all times. The wetted outer surface of the container 420 records the wet bulb temperature of the refrigerant in the system and this, in turn, determines. the vapour pressure within the bellows element, the whole operating in the manner of a wet-bulb vapour pressure thermometer.

It will be understood that since the refrigerant within and without the bellows space is the same, the vapour pressure within and without will be equal at all temperatures. When, however, the vapour in the system is contaminated with noncondensible gases, the partial pressure offthese is added to the vapour pressure of the refrigerant and the total pressure exceeds the saturated vapour pressure within the bellows, which accordingly contract and open the circulation through the rectifier.

When all the non-condensible gases are in the rectifier, the bellows 426 expands again to stop the syphon action through the rectifier.

The inert gases in the rectifier 40 depress the liquid level therein as well as in the float valve chamber 43, and when this reaches the level 111-11 the float valve will open and release to waste 42 the surplus volume of non-condensible gases.

It will be understood that the float valve 43 could be incorporated inside the rectifier vessel 40, and the valve 4 inside the main storage vessel 41, thereby eliminating the necessity for separate housings and pipe connections.

The main storage vessel may be a condenser or liquid receiver of a refrigerating machine, or a container used for charging instruments or apparatus with pure fluids having constant vapourpressure characteristics.

The impurities referred to as non-condensible gases could be condensible vapours of higher vapour pressure than that enclosed in the bellows and these could be collected, condensed and rectified in like manner in an apparatus connected to the waste discharge pipe from the float valve, said second apparatus operating at a lower temperature and with a suitable fluid in the bellows element. In the same way a third and fourth or fifth set of rectifying sets can be added, depending on the number of fractions it is desired to collect from the distillate.

I claim:

1. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluids between interconnected fluid circulatory systems, comprising a housing, inlet and outlet pipes connecting said housing with one circulatory system, an open vessel within said housing, means for floatingly supporting said vessel and for vertically moving it up and down in response to conditions desired to be controlled by the flow of fluid in the system, inlet and outlet pipes depending within said vessel to different depths and connecting said vessel with the other circulatory system so that upward movement of said vessel will close and downward movementthereof will open the pipeprojecting to the smaller depth.

2. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluids between interconnected fluid circulatory systems, comprising a housing, inlet and outlet pipes connecting said housing with one circulatory system, an open floating vessel within said housing, said floating vessel being supported by an adjustable pressure-responsive device, inletand outlet pipes depending. within said vessel to different depths and connecting said vessel with the other circulatory system. 1

8. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluids between interconnected fluid circulatory systems, comprising a housing, inlet and outlet pipes connecting said housing with one circula tory system,. an open floating vessel within said housing, said floating vessel being supported by an adjustable pressure-responsive device com-- prising an expansible bellows, a spring and an adjusting screw, inlet and outlet pipes depending within said vessel to different depths and connecting said vessel with the other; circulatory system. 1

4. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluids between interconnected fluid circulatory systems, comprising a housing, inlet and outlet pipes connecting said housing with one circulatory system, an open floating vessel within said housing, said floating vessel being supported by an adjustable pressure-responsive device, comprising an expansible bellows, a spring and an adjusting screw, limit stops for said expansible bellows, inlet and outlet pipes depending within said vessel to different depths and connecting said vessel with the other circulatory system.

5. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluids between interconnected fluid circulatory systems, comprising a housing, inlet and outlet pipes connecting said housing with one circulatory system, an open floating vessel within said housing, liquid level control means in said vessel, said floating vessel being supported by an adjustable pressure-responsive device comprising an expansible bellows, a spring and an adjusting screw, limit stops for said expansible bellows, inlet and outlet pipes depending within said vessel to different depths and connecting said vessel with the other circulatory system.

6. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluids between interconnected fluid circulatory systems, comprising a housing, inlet and outlet pipes connecting said housing with one circulatory system, an open vessel disposed within said housing, opposed elastic supports for said vessel, inlet and outlet pipes depending within said vessel to different depths and connecting said vessel with the other circulatory system.

7. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluids between interconnected fluid circulatory systems, comprising a housing, inlet and outlet pipes connecting said housing with one circulatory system, an open vessel disposed within said housing, opposed elastic supports for said vessel comprising a pressure-responsive device and a temperature-responsive device, means for adjusting said devices, inlet and outlet pipes depending within said vessel to different depths and connecting said vessel with the other circulatory system.

8. In a refrigerating system, a secondary condenser and evaporator, a shut off valve disposed between the secondary condenser and the secondary evaporator, said control valve comprising a housing, an open vessel Within said housing, means for fioatingly supporting said vessel and for moving it up and down in response to conditions desired to be controlled by the flow of fluid in the system, inlet and outlet pipes to and from the secondary evaporator connected with said housing and inlet and outlet pipes to and from the secondary condenser depending within said vessel, the end of the condenser outlet pipe being arranged at a lower level than the end of the condenser inlet pipe.

9. In a secondary refrigerating system, a control valve comprising a housing, a floating open vessel within said housing supported by an adjustable pressure-responsive device, said vessel being in the form of a U-tube, inlet and outlet pipes to and from an evaporator of the system connected with said housing and inlet and outlet pipes to and from a condenser of the system depending Within said vessel, the end of the condenser outlet pipe being arranged at a lower level than the end of the condenser inlet pipe.

10. Valve for controlling the flow of a gaseous oondensable medium, comprising a closed housing communicating with a conduit for said medium, a vessel in said housing adapted for supporting a condensate of said medium up to a with a secondary condenser, a movable liquid receptacle within said housing, said condenser inlet and outlet comprising a conduit open above the bottom of said receptacle and means for moving up and down said receptacle.

WOLDEMAR GEORGE NOLCKEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,976,079 Mallinckrodt Oct. 9, 1934 2,433,187

Alsing Dec. 23, 1947 

